Chapter 251: Lone Messenger
A wyvern flew through the skies of the Abyss Continent, carrying a single wyvern knight on its back.
「This should be the place…」
The knight had been entrusted with a crucial mission from Takeru: to deliver a message to Holy Mother Steriana, asking her to come to the demon capital, Laurentite. Now, he was venturing alone into enemy territory as a messenger.
Despite the danger he had anticipated, there had been no attacks from the demon army. In fact, there was no sign of the demon forces anywhere.
The Abyss Continent was mostly barren wilderness. He had flown over endless expanses of desolation, with the occasional village or town now under the rule of the Holy Steriana Queendom. It seemed that the local demon forces had been wiped out entirely.
The townsfolk had mentioned sightings of a dragonkin dispatched by the Holy Mother, likely referring to the Dragon Maids. While the knight was pleased to hear of the Holy Mother’s victories, the exact whereabouts of the queen herself remained vague. All anyone could say was that she had headed north.
As he traveled further, he saw more and more evidence of a catastrophic event—though explaining what exactly had occurred was beyond his ability to describe succinctly.
The remains of what seemed like demon army camps lay scattered, buried under a rain of boulders. Everything had been crushed, leaving only blood and gore behind. In short, it was a scene straight out of a nightmare.
「This is terrifying…」
The knight muttered under his breath. Whatever had happened, it was far beyond his understanding. Clutching the flag bearing the crest of the White Lily Kingdom of Silesie, he held onto it like a talisman.
The King General had assured him that as long as he bore this flag, he would not be attacked by allies. The knight had no choice but to trust in those words.
Finally, he spotted the Holy Mother’s forces.
But the sight before him defied expectation.
「What the hell is this?!」
It was.
※※※
Though they were referred to as the ‘Holy Mother’s army’ the reality was a motley group of impoverished peasants, beggars, and vagrants. These people followed Holy Mother Steriana with the simple hope that by doing so, they might one day reach paradise.
At the head of the procession, someone cried out, 「Steriana-samaaaa!」
The people beside them echoed the cry, raising their arms in wild excitement, ‘Banzaiiii!’
They were the downtrodden—the ones who had been enslaved by the demon army or those who had been driven to destitution and starvation. Yet now, they had found a place to belong under the Holy Mother’s banner, where they could secure a meal for the day.
As the Holy Mother liberated towns and villages from demon rule, gifts of food and drink flowed in from all over.
It wasn’t just food, either.
Sometimes, a single cup of sake was enough to lift their spirits. Nothing could be more joyous for them. To these people, Holy Mother Steriana was nothing short of a goddess.
「Banzai! Banzai!」「The Holy Mother will bring justice! 」 「Banzai for a new world!」
A full stomach, a small cup of alcohol, and cheerful dancing—these simple pleasures were enough to make them feel as though they were already in heaven.
The episode contrasts the grim, desolate landscape of the Abyss Continent with the almost surreal, hopeful energy of the Holy Mother’s ragtag followers. The knight’s mission, though simple in intent, leads him into a strange and eerie world where the line between salvation and chaos seems increasingly blurred.
The scene continues with the chaotic yet lively atmosphere of the Holy Mother’s army. Amidst the sounds of drums and bells, the crowd chants ‘Soiya! Soiya!’ in time with their clapping hands. The group is a mix of old and young, men and women, all dancing their way forward without any semblance of order.
As they march across the barren Abyss Continent, the procession grows ever larger, gathering the vagabonds and drifters from all regions. This is the true form of the Holy Mother’s army—a haphazard assembly of the destitute and displaced.
In truth, this ragtag group carries little in the way of weapons or supplies, and their combat ability is nonexistent. However, since they have yet to encounter any actual demon forces, that hasn’t been a problem.
To the demon nation, this army of beggars is feared as the Holy Mother’s force. Whenever the demons attempt to gather their troops to counter the Holy Mother’s advance, the ‘Dragon Maids’ will strike them down, making the beggar army an effective decoy.
From the sky, however, the wyvern knight can’t help but feel somewhat conflicted.
「Ehto…」
He scans the group, wondering where exactly the Holy Mother might be when, suddenly, the Dragon Maids appear before him.
「Who’s this? Doesn’t look like a demon beast to me.」
「Can we just kill him?」
「Wait, wait! I’m an ally!」
The knight frantically waves the flag of the Silesie Kingdom, hoping to avoid being crushed by these fearsome warriors.
The wyvern knight, who serves Takeru as a messenger and transport pilot, knows all too well the power of the Dragon Maids. One wrong move could get him killed with a single punch. Desperately, he waves the flag, hoping to convince them of his allegiance.
「He says he’s an ally. Donna, have you seen this flag before?
「Hmm, can’t say I have. Should we capture him and take him to Are-sama or Queen Dareda?」
The Dragon Maids who spotted the wyvern knight are the sisters Anna and Donna, who have been tasked with protecting the Holy Mother’s army by Queen Dareda. The knight is finally escorted to Are and, eventually, granted an audience with the Holy Mother Steriana herself.
However, what he sees upon his arrival leaves him feeling somewhat underwhelmed.
The Holy Mother, Steriana, is seated atop a platform carried by the people—a sight that looks more like a festive parade float than a queen or holy figure.
「I see. You’re the messenger from Takeru, correct? You’ve done well to come this far.」
「Yes, this is the letter.」
As she reads the letter, Steriana’s expression darkens.
「So, Takeru is desperately seeking my aid.」
In reality, the knight was sent with a specific request for the ‘White Silver Feather’—an artifact Takeru had entrusted to Steriana out of concern for her. Given that the Great Demon King Ifriil is plotting the revival of the Mother of Chaos, the power of Steriana, known as the ‘Sealing Saintess’ is vital.
「That’s correct, Holy Mother-sama.」
「There’s no time to waste. Are-san, Queen Dareda, our diversionary tactics end here. We must make haste to the demon capital, Laurentite.」
Are and Queen Dareda both nod in agreement.
「Got it, okay.」
「But, uh, where is Laurentite again?」
「Since it’s a major city, just fly north. We’ll figure it out.」
「Ah, mother, you’re so smart!」
This playful exchange between the Dragon Maids is typical of their carefree nature.
Meanwhile, the wyvern knight finds himself being harassed by the two Dragon Maiden sisters, Anna and Donna.
「This guy’s kinda cute.」
「Oh no, Anna-oneesan! He’s mine!」
「Wait, stop!」
They weren’t just teasing; the Dragon Maids were strong enough to tear off his armor effortlessly. It was well-known that the Dragon Maids had a certain… fondness for men.
Desperately, the knight looks to his wyvern for help, but the creature merely averts its eyes, pretending not to notice. Being a fellow dragon species, the wyvern knows all too well how powerful the Dragon Maids are—and it, too, is afraid.
The situation escalates as Anna and Donna, the two Dragon Maids, continue to tease the wyvern knight, even going so far as to unbuckle his belt.
「Hey oniisan, now that your job’s done, how about you keep us company for a while?
「I mean, wyverns are great and all, but wouldn’t you rather ride with us instead?」
Just as things begin to take an uncomfortable turn for the knight, Are finally steps in to stop them.
「Hey! Anna, Donna, knock it off! If you crush one of Takeru’s men, I’ll be the one getting in trouble!」
Surprisingly, among the Dragon Maids, Are is considered the reasonable one.
The knight, pale with fear, realizes that these two might have actually intended to squeeze him.
「Ehhh, but…!」
「We want a husband too, you know!」
「Weren’t you listening? Takeru is in danger! We need to leave immediately. Follow me!」
「Yes」「Okay」
Both sisters respond, still sounding a little disappointed.
Despite the ongoing lightheartedness from the Dragon Maids, Steriana’s expression grows serious.
「Ugh, as much as I hate the idea of riding in that basket again… If Takeru is in danger, there’s no helping it.」
Steriana says, reluctantly agreeing to the high-speed transport method. The last time had been an ordeal for her.
With a determined expression, Steriana stands atop the portable platform carried by her followers and addresses the crowd below.
「Devout people of the Holy Mother! We are heading to the demon capital of Laurentite to assist the Hero! You may follow at your own pace.」
「Holy Mother Steriana, banzaaiiii!」
The crowd roars in banzaii, regardless of what was said. This army moves like a force of nature, and it’s clear that no matter the message, their chant will always be the same.
Gathering together, Steriana and the Dragon Maids take off at a dizzying speed, flying northward.
「Aaaaaahhh!」
Steriana’s scream echoes, growing lower in pitch due to the Doppler effect as they soar faster than a rollercoaster toward the demon capital, Laurentite.
Watching them disappear, the wyvern knight sighs.
「Well, the Holy Mother could’ve just ridden with me and my wyvern, but… oh well.」
It’s too late now, and besides, the Dragon Maids’ transport was probably faster anyway.
With his duty as a messenger complete, the wyvern knight stays behind for a moment to rest. The Holy Mother’s army generously shares some provisions with him, allowing him to feed and water his wyvern. Despite the chaotic nature of the group, they are kind-hearted, and no one seems the least bit fazed by the presence of a wyvern.
Perhaps they’ve simply grown used to seeing far scarier things by now.
「Alright, Ryu, time for us to get going too.」
「Kururururu.」
The wyvern purrs in response, happy to be petted by its master. The knight mounts his companion, and they take to the skies.
Their destination? North, the same as the others. With his mission fulfilled, the wyvern knight now sets off to reunite with the main forces of the Silesie Kingdom’s army, flying after the Dragon Maids and the Holy Mother.